Phonograph control



C. H. GREEN PHONOGRAPH CONTROL Filed Feb. 5, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet l March 9, 1937. c. H. GREEN PHONOGRAPH CONTROL Filed Feb. 5, 1934 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented Mar. 9, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PHONO GRAPH CONTROL Application February 5, 1934, Serial No. 709,691

2 Claims.

l 'This invention relates to improvements in automatic phonograph apparatus, and more particularly to the provision of remotely controlled apparatus so that the operation, selection of- `5 records, cancelling of the selections and changes in the program may be controlled from a distance, and the different parts of the apparatus may be located in the most suitable place for the specific part.

For example in homes, it may be desirable to place the sound reproducer or loud speaker' in different rooms, or on a wall, where there are no Further objects of the invention are to provide automatic phonograph equipment which is suitable for such use as in theaters where it is necessary to control the program from behind the .25 audience or in the operating room where the phonograph instrument would be in the way, it l of course being necessary to place` the sound reproducer instrument in front lof the audience or on the stage. Further objects and advantages will become apparent' in the following description, taken with reference to Athe accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a representation of the several differently located interconnected units of the apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a diagram of the electrical remote arrangement.

Fig. 3 isa plan view of a preferredform of the 40 phonograph instrument,- which is more fully shown and described in my co-pending application, Serial Number 712,218, filed Feb. 20, 1934, and therefore need not be completely shown and described herein, except asto essential details, since the invention may be carried out with other specific phonograph mechanisnn 4 The phonograph instrument mechanism shown in its entirety in Fig. 3 comprises, essentially, a

horizontal turntable A; a stylus B; a magazine 4C into cooperative relation for selecting the desired'records.

The turntable is rotated by a motor I which is controlled by a mercury bulb starting switch 2; and the selector and transfer mechanisms are Il5 driven by the transfer motor 3 which is controlled by a mercury bulb switch 4, through and under the control of the switch 2, so that the transfer mechanism may be stopped while a record is being played to eliminate the noise and 10 vibration of the idling parts'.

The electrical connections for accomplishing this are shown dlagrammatically in Fig. 2, in which lines 5 and Brepresent a 110 volt supply circuit, across which is connected a primary 15 transformer winding 'I which energizes a secondary winding 8 at about 10 volts for operating the control circuits, as will be described hereinafter.

Oneterminal o! each of the motors I and 8 is connected by conductor 9 to the supply wire 8: I2 0 and the opposite supply wire E is connected by `line I0 to oneterminal voi the switch 2. The

switch 2 ishormaliy held in open position by a latch Il against the pull of a spring I2; and the opposite terminal of the switch 2 is connected' 25 directly to the second terminal of the turntable motor I by wire I3, and to the switch l by wire Il, thence through the switch 4, when closed,

' and to the transfer motor 3 by line l5. The transfer motor switch I is normally held in closed po' 30 sition by a spring I6.- Thus closing the switch 2 immediately starts both motors, opening switch I stops the transfer motor, which is done while the record is being played. Then closing the switch l again starts the transfer motor to re- 35 move the disc; and finally opening of switch 2 stops both motors to leave the apparatus in normal condition.

The motor 3 is belted to a drive shaft I'I, Fig. 3, which is connected through a normally closed se- 4o lector and magazine drive clutch machanism represented by lever I8 to drive a stop lug selector drum I9, included in the selector mechanism. and, simultaneously to move the magazine C. slidably mounted on rods 20, 2|, back-,and forth 45 in relation to the transfer mechanism. As will be understood, all of this mechanism is more fully shown and described in said co-pending application, and the description herein is limited as much as possible to essential features particularly related to this invention, and to the manner of operation.

Thus when the transfer motor is started, from normal condition of the parts, the selector drum I9 is rotated in synchronism with the reciprocat- 55 ing movement of the carriage D, the carriage moving to the right during the flrst half of the revolution of the drum, and back to the left durcompleted reciprocation. A

At'the end ofy each reeiprocanon the transfer l is conditioned` by means of stops 22 and 23, mounted on the carriage, as shown in said application, to reverse the direction of the ninety degree turning of the transfer pick-up arm 24 as the selected record is being placed on the turntable.

Accordingly the records on one side of the discs are presented in playing position during movement of the carriage in one direction, and the other sides of the records are presented during the return movements, making it possible to selectany of the records carried on `the discs.

A p'air of clutches 25 and 26 are provided for connecting the motor driven shaft I1' to a transfer jack shaft 21 which lspositively connected to position the tone arm B and operate the transfer E to place the selected record either on the turntable or, with a, reverse movement, back into the magazine. The movement of the shaft 21 is limited to less than one complete rotation from normal position so that, in moving from normal position, the record then opposite the transfer,

is gripped, lifted outl of the magazine, turned according to the last movement of the carriage, and deposited on the turntable and released. Then in the nal movement of the shaft the stylus B is swung over the record and lowered to engage in the outer grooves of the record, which then swing the stylus in towards the center of the turntable. After the record is played, the movement of the shaft 21 is reversed, as will be lbriefly described, and the record and stylus restored to rnormal' position.

The clutches 25 and 26 are operated in alternate relation by a longitudinally movable clutch operating rod 30 which is moved by a centrally pivotedlever 3|, the lower end of which is pivotally.connected to the main operatingbar 32, which is one of the principal control elements. The movements of the clutch rod 30 are indicated by center lines in Fig,2, designated `Nfor neutral position, F for forward position to present a record on the turntable, and R for reverse to remove and restore the record. v v When the bar 32 is moved to the lefil and the rod 30 thereby moved to the right, the clutch 26 is operated to connect a bevel pinion 33 to the shaft` I1. In neutral positioniof the rod 3D, both clutches are released; and when. throd'30 yis moved to the left, by a movement to the right of the bar 32, the clutch V25 is engaged 'to attach the bevel pinion 34 to the shaft I1. The two pinions mesh oppositely with a bevell ge1ar'35 for two spaced cam lugs 40. The lugs 40 are radlal' l'y disposed in staggered relation on the opposite sides of the gear 36 and project so that they move the lever 31, and shifter rod 30, to neutral A bifurcated lever 31,- pivoted atf38is position Whenever they come into. contact with the corresponding arm 39. This'arr'angement limits the rotation of the shaft 21 to less than one complete turn, and automatically moves the shifter rod back to neutral position to release 5 either clutch 25 or 26 when either movement is completed. The construction of said clutches is 'such that the actual clutch movement is effected by power from the drive shaft I1, as described in said application.

The remaining electrical control units which are mounted in the phonograph instrument are a -plurality of'selector solenoids 40, one for each e record; asolenoid 4| for stopping the playing of a record;A a solenoid 42 for cancelling the se-` Y15 lections which have been setup but not yet cancelled by the playing of a record; and a switch 43 which is closed by the stylus when the playing of a record is completed.

A portable control board 44 ls provided, which* 2o maybe placed on a table 45, o r in anycother convenient location at a distance from the phonograph cabinet 46 in which the phonograph instrument is mounted and connected to the remote control board by a cable 41. A loud speak- 25 er unit 48, electrically connected to the stylus,

vmay be mounted in the phonograph cabinet, or

selections so that a program which has been set 35 up by pressing several of the selector push buttons may be ldiscontinued or altered as may be desired.

The low voltage power for energizing the control circuits is supplied from the secondary wind- 60 ing 8 which has a return feed wire 53 which extends through the cable 41 and is connected to the one contact nger 54 of ,each ofsaid push buttons. The second contact fingers 55 ofthe selector push buttons 50 are each connected to 46 one terminal 56 of the solenoids 40 which correspond to the same records as thev push buttons, by wires 51 which are bunched and passed through the cable 41.r

One terminal of the stop switch 43 is connected 50 by wire 6| to lead 53; and one terminal of the stopping solenoid 4|, the selector solenoids 40, andthe clearing solenoid 42 are each connected to the feed wire 60, of the transformer 8, by the f' wires 62, 40a, and branch wire 63, respectively. 55

The second terminal of the solenoid 42 is connected through the cable 41 by aA wire 64 which 'leads to contact finger 65 of the push button 52; land the second terminals of thevlswitchV 4 3 land' l solenoidAl are joined by wire 66 which is con- 60 nected, through the cable 41, by wire 61, to the Contact nger 68 of the push button 5|.

[The selector F comprises, in addition -to the vgroup of solenoids 40 and the drum I9, a bank of l selector levers 69 and latches 1D, one lever and '65 one cooperating latch being associated With each ofthe solenoids 4U. 'Ihe levers 69 are mounted ondownwardly movable pivots 10a, and are guided at their upper ends in slots provided in a kxedly mounted comb 1I. Normally the levers 69 70 are latched in position away from the drum I9 by Lengagement in a notch 12 in the corresponding latch 10, the latches and levers being urged into engaging relation by van interconnecting spring 13. When a solenoid 40 is energized thel 75 latch 1|) related therewith is drawn back. to release its lever B9 which is then rotated clockwise so that angular point 14 thereof is in close relation with the surface of the drum. This movement of each lever about its pivot 10a rotates a universal bar clockwise about its shaft 16 and closes the starting switch 2. As described in said application, this movement of the bar 15 raises a slide 11 which lifts and holds the latch lever II out of engaging relation with the switch 2, and allows the spring I2 to close the switch and start the two motors. This starts the coordinated movement of the magazine and drum.

On the drum are provided a plurality of lugs 18 individually corresponding with the selector levers B9, and consequently with the records in the magazine. The lugs are arranged helically on the surface of the drum so that one lug after another is moved into cooperative relation with its lever in timed relation with the movement of the carriage so that when a released lever is reached the disc having the selected record thereon is opposite the transfer. f

The lug then presses the released lever downwardly until the comb 1I cams the lever away from the lug. This movement of any of the levers 69 rotates the universal bar 80 counterclockwise about the pivot 8| thereof. The bar 8U is positively connected to the control bar 32, and this movement pulls the bar 32 to the left which moves the shifter rod 30 to the right to engage the clutch 26, and also, through a centrally piyoted lever 82 which is pivotally connected to the bar 32, releases the clutch I8. This movement of bar 8D stops the motion of the drum and carriage, and starts the operation of the transfer which is described above by rotating the shaft 29 away from normal position.

The clutch I8 is operated to engage by a cam, not shown, which is positively connected to shaft 21 and rotates therewith, so that as soon as the shaft 21 is moved from normal position the clutch I8 is free for being released by the movement of the bar 32; and when the shaft 21 is moved back to the normal position the clutch is restored to engaging condition.

The selector levers 69 are restored by being pressed downwardly by the contacting lug on the drum until the angular surface below the point 14 in bearing against the forward edge of the slot in the comb- 1I, forces the point back until it clears the lug. The lever is then free to be drawn upwardly by the spring 13 until the lever engages the upper side of the notch 12, which straightens and places the lever in normal position. The resulting movement of the bar 32 trips the clutch I8 which is finally released by the first movement of the transfer shaft 21 as .fully explained in said application.V

Thereupon, if none of the other levers 69 have been released, the universal bar 15 rotates back with the movement of the restored lever 69, to normal position. By the return movement of the bar 69, the slide 11 is lowered so that the latch lever II, in moving to the right, will engage with the switch 2 and restore the same to the normal open position, and thus stop the operation of the motors.

However, if other levers 69, are still released, the

bar 15 will remain rotated to the right and the slide 11 will be held up to prevent the engagement of the latch I I with the switch 2. Then the drum will be further rotated, as soon as the transfer has completed its return movement and the clutch I8 is reengaged.

When it is desired to play any one of the records carried on the discs stored in the magazine, the corresponding push button 50 is pressed, and may be instantly released, giving a momentary energization of the corresponding solenoid 40, from transformer line 53, push button 50, Wire 51, winding of solenoid 40, common return lead 40a, to the opposite line 60 of the transformer secondary 8.

This, to follow the operation through completely, pulls the latch 18 out of engagement with the lever 69 which is then rotated about its pivot 10a so that the point 14 will project into the path of the corresponding lug 18. This movement of lever 69, under the action of the spring 13, presses the plate 15 back and rotates its shaft 16 clockwise. The shaft 16 is pivotally connected by crank arm 83 to slide 11, and thereby lifts the lever II to release the switch bulb 2 so that the switch is swung by spring I2 to a vertical position in which the switch is closed. and so remains as long as any one of the selector levers 69 are released. This closing of switch 2 energizes the motor I, from line 5, wire 9, through the motor, through wire I3, through the starting switch 2, wire I0 to opposite line wire 6; and the transfer motor 3 is energized from wire 9, motor, wire I5, through the closed switch 4, wire I4, closed switch 2, to return wire I Il, and line wire 6.

The motor 3 then rotates the drum and cor- -respondingly drives the carriage through the closed clutch I8. When the lug 18 contacts and operates the released selector lever, as described, the plate 8D is momentarily depressed and its shaft 8| rotated slightly counterclockwise, and thereupon moves the crank arm 84, xedly mounted on the shaft 8|, and the bar 32 to the left, and the shifter rod 30 to the right from neutral position N to forward position F.

This movement of shaft BI, through another crank arm 85., also moves a latch lever 36 to the left so that its tooth 81 is in position to engage with the switch '4 on the next movement of the lever 86 to the right, or when the clutch shifter 30 is returned to neutral position.

With the shifter rod 3U in forward position, the shaft 26 is rotated to deposit a record on the turntable. The transfer operation is completed by slightly less than one full turn of the shaft 21, and spaced lugs 90 or 9| automatically move the rod 30 back to neutral position at the completion of the movement of the shaft 21 in either direction, the lugs moving into contact with corresponding arms of a bifurcated lever 9?. which is pivoted at 93 and pivotally connected to rod 30.

Thus when the forward transfer movement is completed, and the rod 30 restored to neutral, the bar 32 is moved back to the right. In this return from forward to neutral, the lever II does not move back far enough to re-engage the switch 2; but the lever 85, in moving back to neutral, rotates the switch 4, against the action of the spring I6, to open position, and thus stops the operation of the transfer motor while the record is being played.

In the forward movement of the transfer shaft 21, the stylus was swung over, freed, and lowered into engagement with the outer grooves of the record, and the rotation of the turntable then moves the stylus toward the center of the record. When near the center, the stylus arm contacts with the edge of an upstanding plate 94, secured to one of the contact fingers of the switch 43, and momentarily closes the switch.

This closes a circuit through the solenoid 4I; from line 53, wire 6l, switch 43, wire 66, solenoid lil, Wire 62 to opposite line wire 60.

Energizing the solenoid 4I moves the bar 32` release the switch from the tooth 81. The lever y Il is moved back to engage and open the switch 2 on again returning to neutral position-when the record is restored. This is-efiected vby the lug 9i striking the left arm of the lever 92 when the return or reverse transfer movement is completed and moving the clutch shifter train of parts back to normal position.

Thus all parts are restored to normal condition, unless the switch 2 is held open by a released selector lever 69 which has not been restored. In that case the movements are repeated to play all of the selected records, one after another; until all of the selector levers have been restored.4 If desired, the playing of ,a record may be stopped by pressing the remote control push .button 5i. This closes a circuit from line 53, push button contact 54 to 68, wire 6'!v (shunting around switch 43), wire 66, solenoid 4i, wire t2, to the opposite transformer lead 60. This moves the shifter rod 36 from neutral to reverse,

starts the transfer motor to remove the stylus .and return the record to the magazine.

vAny or all of the waiting released selector levers 6s may be restored, and the selections cancelled, by pressing the clearing push button 52 which closes a circuit from transformer lead 53,A contact 54, to contact 65, wirel 64, solenoid,

shaft 21 then `r 9'! will be pressed back to the normal position shown, and the levers re-engaged in the notches 'l2 in the corresponding latch members 10. The bar 95 has an arm 98 which projects above the pivot 96, to which one end of a bar 99 is pivotally connected. 'Ihe bar 99 has a notch |00 in which the upper end of an oscillating lever |01 is engaged when the solenoid 42 is energized, as described,- the bar 99 being normally held out of engagement with the lever IDI by a spring 99a. lThe lever lill is oscillated by a cam |03 on a shaft |02 which is connectedby the clutch i8 to the drive shaft vI'l.- Thus the selections may be cancelled during the selector movements.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

l. In an automatic multiple record phonograph means for selecting any of the records to be played, comprising a normally restrained lever for each record, a universal'bar associated with the levers as a group for restoring any and all of the levers to normal position, means for operating the universal bar comprising anattached bar having a notch therein, a motor driven shaft, an arm reciprocated by the shaft having an extremity to engage the notch inthe bar and remote control electrical means for actuating the bar to draw its notch into engagement with the arm for reciprocating the bar and the universal bar connected thereto for restoring the levers to normalposition.

2. In an automatic multiple record phonograph, means for selecting a number of records to be played in succession 'comprising a. releasable lever for each record, remote control means for actuating a driving motor to withdraw, play, and return a record after it has been played, and remote control manual means for cancelling the selections to be played at any time before all the previously selected records are played, said means comprising a universal bar mounted adjacent the leversfor restoring the selected ones to normal position, a. motor driven shaft having an eccentric thereon, an ,arm reciprocated by the eccentric, a.

notched bar connected to the universal bar and supported with its notch out of engagement with the said arm and a remote control solenoid for actuating the notched bar to bring its notchinto returning the selected levers to normal position.

IH.v GREEN. 

